Housing bracket



SePt- 18, 1934- T. A. KEEN 1,973,872

HOUSING' BRACKET Filed June l2, 1931 l/saaf Tilo/nas H. Kee/l il] l l E I v 4 7 A Patented Sept. 18, 1934 UNITED STATES 1,973,872 Y HOUSING. BRACKET p Thomas A. Keen, St.A Louis, Mo., assignor to Hannah M. Smith, Chicago; Ill.y

Application June 12, 1931, Serial No. 543,902

10 Claims. (ci. `.2v2-4) The present invention relates to an apparatus suitable for housing a car provided withV a side arm and employed in dog racing, and for other purposes. Y

It is satisfactorily established that a concealed car is desirable for dog-racing. Such a car carries an arm at the end of which is a lure. `The greyhounds follow, their efforts being guidedby sight of the lure. Their efforts are augmented by the noise of the car. Greyhounds, in racing, apparentlyrequire both noise and sight of the lure to urge them to their keenest eorts.

One of the most expensive features connected with the installation of dog racing apparatus is the provision of a satisfactory housing for the lure carrying car whereby the lure is'conveyed about the track. The housing has always been the one to require the greatest amount of time for installation. Many structures have been suggested for housing such a car. A number of these have been used successfully, but none has been altogether satisfactory.

The present invention possesses an advantage over all previous or previouslyproposed structures in the simplicity of its construction, in the cheapness With which it may be manufactured and installed, in the quickness .in which `the housing may be completed, in the fact that .the more ex-4 pensive parts of the housing may besalvaged, an impossibility with other forms ofhousings, and in that the present form provides the most efficient car housing so far devised.

The objects of the present invention are the provision of a new and improved means for building housingfor a lure carrying car, an improved car housing structure for dog racing, improved means for concealing a lurev carrying car, vand new and unique means for housing a'lure carrying car with a minimum of construction work at a race course. Y

These objects and such other objects as may hereinafter appear, are obtained by the novel construction, unique arrangement,`and improved combination of the several elements which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing illustrative of a single embodiment of the invention, and in which-:-

Figure 1 is a transverse section of a housing and a. bracket therein, the subject matter of thelpr'resent invention; Y

Figure 2 is a side elevation of a section of the housing shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section thereof.

Like reference characters are usedto designate similar parts in the drawing and in the descrip-- tion of the invention which follows.

As is 4conventional in other forms of housings, a trench .to receive the housing is first dug. In said trench, posts are set at spaced intervals, the posts being designated 10. Said posts are usually set in concrete piers 11. With its top in the same horizontal level as the top of post 10, there is disposed upon said post 10 a bracket 12 comprising an upright back portion 13 which is secured to the post 11 by bolts or other fastening means, .a top arm 14, and a bottom arm 15.

. Upon the under surface of the upper arm 14 is a transverse groove 16 in which an insulating block l'lisdispos'ed. A similar transverse groove 18 is arranged upon the bottom arm 15. Groove 18 is generally. offset from the groove 16 a1- though this is not critical for use 4in housing construction. Y The car 19k shown in the present apparatus has 75 offset Wheels, 20 and 21, hence the tracks therefor. are offset.

An` insulating member 22 is arranged in the groove 18 inthe .upper face of arm 15. In the groove. 16 and spaoedtherefrom by the upper insulatingblock 17 is a conduit 23 comprising a copper rail24v and a plug therethrough 25. In the lower channel 18 and resting on the block 22" is a-.brass rail 26 having a plug 27 therein. The two rails', 24 and 26, are adapted to support the car19, said car comprising side plates, 28 and 29, Va'motor 30, traction wheels 20 joined together by a chain 30, and an upper trolley Wheel 21 which is also ia guide to hold the car 19 in such position that a lure carryingarm 31 laterally disposed thereon will beheld in a horizontal position as thel car travels about a race course. On the endV of the arm 31 is a'lure, not shown.

The .details of `the structure of the car 19 are not a part of the present invention. Such a car is fully described Ain the patent to Thomas A. Keen bld-1,800,864, dated April 14, 1931. lThe lower arm 15 of the bracket 12 has an upwardly-y extending section 32 having its Ytop end substantially level.`with the track grade at the side` of the trench. In the construction of a track, posts 10 vare disposed in proper foundationsA or piers` after a trench. has been dug. The brackets are then dropped into-the trench and secured to the post 10 by bolts.

Boards 33 are attached to the front section 32 of thelowervmember 15 on the outer face thereof in the manner indicated, and by suitable fastening means such as bolts. The upper edge of Ythe higher board 33, if. there be more than one, is in substantially the same horizontal plane of the top edge or" the side section 32 of the bracket member. Board 33 is for the purpose oi' preventing dirt from the track reaching into the trench excavated to receive the housing. The top edge of board or boards 33 is substantially in the same plane as but just above the adjacent track surface. 1

From the upper member 14 depends a board 34, the top edge or" which is in the same plane as the top arm 1li and the lower edge of which is in relatively close proximity to the top edge of the ,e

adjacent lower board 33, there being space between the two boards 33 and 34 to permit of the passage of the lure carrying arm 31 Without contact with either of the boards 33 and 34 in proximity thereto.

At the back of the device anysuitable number of boards 35 may be installed. These are attached to posts 10. After the boards 33 and 35 are attached, dirt may be nlled into the trench thereagainst boards 33 on theone side and boards 35 on the other side of the housing protecting the center section of the trench in which the housing is disposed from being filled in. Thus ythe car in the housing is fully protected from the dirt about the trench by the boards 33 and 35 just described.

Over the top of the housing, and extending from the back top board 35. to the front top board 34, there may be a canvas sheet or strip 36, which is adapted to be secured in positionby buttons or tacks 37 as shown. Whenever krit is desired. to inspect the. interior of the housing, the buttons 37 maybe removedand Vthe canvas 36 lifted, whereupon access to the interior of the housing may be had. If preierredboards'may be disposed upon the brackets 12 to form a top for the housing.

For insulating the copper and'brass rails, a lug 37 may be arrangedin rthe plugs 25 and 27v supporting the rails 24 and 26. Said lugs may extend upwardly or downwardly, as the case may be, through an aperture in the arms 14 and .15 ofthe bracket. Each of the arms 14 and 15 may be T-shaped or L-shaped in cross section. The aperture is through the horizontal section thereof.

The lugs 37 are surrounded byaninsulator 38 held in position by a nut `39 which is threaded onto the said lug andrwhichA maintains said lug 37 with the aid of the insulator 38 vout of engagement with any of the metallic parts ofthe bracket 11. Above or below` each' rail 24 or 26,

.2 as is proper, is a channel or longitudinal' support 39 through which the lugs 37 extend. The channel 39 lends greater strength to the rails. Lugs 37 passing through the arms 14 and 15 first extend through the" channels 39. Intermediate brackets 11, thereV may be a number of lugsv 37 extending through channel 39, the lugs in such instance being secured to channels 39 by bolts 40.

Thus a relatively simple mounting and reenforcement for the copper and brass conducting rails 24 and-26 is provided. The present device is adapted to be operated from a'source-of energy, one line of which is electricallyconnected to the copper rail 24 at the top and-the other line to the brass rail 26 at the bottom'.

The upper and trolley wheel 21 engages. the copper rail 24 to act as a conductor leading to one terminal of the car' motor. The otherwheels 20 are electrically connected Withvthe other terminal of said motor. y e j 'Complete insulation of the channel 39.and

rails 24 and 26 from the bracket 11 is obtained by the use of the channel insulating blocks 17 and 22. Each of the arms 14 and 15 has in addition to an angle. iron or T-shape, an end terminating in a vertical flange to provide a suitable face for bolt holes and intended to receive the bolts which extend through the boards 33 and 34 forming the wall at the track side of the housing.

I claim:

1. For use in constructing a housing suitable tobe used about a lure carrying car, a U-shaped member, the legs of which are substantially horizontal with one above the other, and an end member directed inwardly from the extremity of they lower oi said legs to provide supports for boards enclosing said housing.

2'.For use in constructing a housing suitable to be used about a lure carrying car, a U-shaped member, having legs which are substantially horizontal, one of said legs being provided with a member directed inwardly in opposed spaced relation with the closed side of said U-shaped member and to provide a support for covering boards.

3. For use in constructing a housing for a lure carrying car, a U-shaped bracket having legs normally in horizontal planes one above the other, there being an arm projecting inwardly from the free end of the lower of said legs, and material for concealing the car within said brackets secured to said legs and arm.

4.For use in constructing a housing for a lure carrying car, a unitary U-shaped bracket having a back member, legs projecting therefrom normally in a horizontal plane, and projecting arms at the free ends of said legs, said arms-and legs being adaptedito support material for concealing car.

`5. .In a housing, posts, U-shaped brackets disposed upon said posts, legs on said brackets normal to said posts, an arm inwardly directed from one of said legs, and covering material on said posts, legs and arm.

6.i In a housing for a lure carrying car, posts,

vU-shaped brackets upon said posts, rails for the lure carrying car'upon the opposite legs of said bracket, arms depending from said legs, and covering for saidfhousing secured to said posts, legs and arms. l

7. Fora-car having a horizontally disposed lure support, and a housing for said car and having an opening for said support, a U-shaped bracket having legs between which said car` may pass, oneof said legs being below the surface of the ground, an inwardly extending arm at the open end of said bracket on the lower leg thereof, the wallsof said housing being secured to said legs and arms toleave an opening for the passage of the support for the lure, and said arms being spaced apart suiiiciently to providek for the passage of the support for the lure.

8. The combination with a 'lure carrying car having a spar for the supporting of such lure andk extending horizontally from said car, of a housing for said car, said housing comprising a unitary U-shaped bracket having legs between which said `car passes, one of such legs being disposed horizontallyV below the surface ofV the ground, material upon said U-shaped member to form the walls of said housing, the lower leg of said bracket having an inwardly extending arm, a Vertical wall secured to said arm at a plane below the ground, said vertical Awall extending upwardly to leave a longitudinal opening thereabove 15o higher than and parallel to the ground surface, the said opening dening the path of said spar.

9. A housing for enclosing a ear and having a longitudinal opening, said car being disposed for movement longitudinally of said housing and having a horizontally disposed lure support eX- tending through said opening for movement therein, said housing comprising a unitary U- shaped frame member arranged transversely of the wallsl of said housing for the support thereof, one of the opposed legs of said U-shaped member being below the ground level, inwardly extending arm means at the end of said lower leg for the attachment of a vertical housing Wall thereto, said vertical wall extending upwardly to provide a lower edge for said opening, and said housing being disposed with said opening slightly above the ground level.

10. In combination, an elongated housing having walls and an opening extending longitudinally of one of said walls, a car disposed for 1ongitudinal movement Within said housing, a lure carrying spar secured to said car for movement therewith and projecting horizontally from said housing through said opening, unitary U-shaped frame members distributed at intervals along the length of said housing and transversely thereto for the support of said walls, the opposed legs oi each of said U-shaped members being at the top and bottom of said housing and spaced to permit said car to pass therebetween, rails for carrying said car secured to said legs, an arm projecting upwardly from the end of each of the lower of said legs, said lower legs being disposed `below the surface of the ground, and a section of the wall engaging said arms beneath the surface of the ground and extending above the surface of the ground to dene the lower edge of said opening.

THOMAS A. KEEN.

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